Burglars targeting homes in King Street corridor

Frank MacEachern and Dave Hennessey

Updated 10:44 pm, Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Police are warning residents along the King Street corridor after criminals targeted homes in the area in January, police said.

"There is an uptick; they should be watchful," Lt. Kraig Gray, spokesman for Greenwich Police, advised residents. "It appears to be a trend and we have communicated with some of the other jurisdictions -- New York jurisdictions -- about it."

The same individual or group of individuals may be committing the crimes, he said.

"It appears as if they may be related," Gray said about the burglaries and larcenies, including the theft of a Fedex package from a doorstep and the opening of another doorstep package. "There have been three confirmed burglaries and one burglary attempt. Nobody has been home at the time of the burglaries."

In a midcountry break-in on Birch Lane off North Street, someone made off with pain medication from a medicine cabinet and some small household items police said.

The thief or thieves forced entry into the private residence, which is located west of North Street and less than a mile south of Clapboard Ridge Road.

The crime occurred sometime between Jan. 27 and Feb. 3, said police, who did not elaborate further on the incident.

Michael Tedesco, president of the King Street Area Homeowner's Association, an umbrella organization for homeowner groups on both sides of the state line, said residents are concerned about crime but confident police will put a stop to the activity.

"Our guys do a fabulous job," he said. "They usually pick up the trail very quickly."

Tedesco said police keep him and his association informed of break-ins in the area, though he hasn't heard of any in the past week or so.

Residents in general should take precautions to try and prevent criminals from knowing that they are away and that their home is unoccupied, Gray said. Those measures include letting neighbors they will be away for an extended period of time and ensuring that someone

Anyone with information on any of the burglaries and larcenies should contact the Greenwich Police tip line at 800-372-1176.